Couple Held for Forcing Minor Into Prostitution

A shocking incident has come to light from the Bharti Vidyapeeth police station limits where a 17-year-old girl was allegedly held captive and forced into prostitution by a couple after her father failed to repay  debt of Rs 30000. According to the police, the victim’s father did  odd jobs and suffered  from alcohol addiction, the accused and the victim were  neighbours and reside in the same chawl in Katraj. The victim's father had borrowed Rs 30000 from the accused for stating his medical needs in October 2023 and he failed to return the money. The accused couple forcefully took his 17-year-old daughter and held her captive in a lodge near KK Market in Katraj for almost 10 to 15 days. The accused threatened the victim and the husband established forceful physical relations with the victim.

As per the complaint filed by the victim, she alleged that the accused couple forced her into prostitution and kept the money they received from the clients. The police have arrested Poonam Prakash Mane (age 22, resident of Katraj) while her husband and the co-accused Akash Suresh Mane (age 24 resident of Katraj) are at large. A case under sections 363, 366(A), 343, 370, 376, 376(2)(N) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 6 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and other relevant sections have been registered at the Bharti Vidyapeeth Police station.

Investigation Officer Senior Police Inspector Dashrath Patil of the Bharti Vidyapeeth police station while talking to LokmatTimes.com said, “The accused and the victim are well known to each other. We have arrested the female accused while her husband is still absconding and the search is underway.”